As she approached a milestone birthday, Tina Grear decided to mark it in a way that would make a difference to people suffering for their faith.

You celebrated your 50th birthday recently and asked your friends and family to donate to CSW (and another charity) in lieu of receiving gifts. Why did you decide to do this? 

It just felt like the right thing to do. I don’t particularly need anything and I thought if my friends’ generosity can make a difference, I would do this. It’s almost an easy way to help extend CSW’s impact.

How did you hear about CSW?

I heard a talk about CSW and got in touch with the charity. When I was at university I used to get my fellow students involved in praying for prisoners and campaigning for persecuted Christians.

What has kept you supporting CSW for all these years?

People like Gao Zhisheng - his courage is what shines through. He was disappeared multiple times and put in prison. Even when he was recovering after his time in prison he was still challenging the authorities, which was remarkable.* He is a Christian and, like CSW, he was speaking up for people of all faiths and none.

I also think of Shahbaz Bhatti, former Federal Minister for Minority Affairs for Pakistan and the only Christian in the Cabinet at the time. He knew that his work speaking up for minority communities would cost him his life and he continued. Sadly, he was assassinated in 2011. I’m always struck by the incredible courage of people like Gao Zhisheng and Shahbaz Bhatti.

What inspires you in your own giving to CSW?

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:48b) This verse always inspires me. At a time when we’re feeling poor we’re still fortunate and we can make a difference with what we’ve been given. It reminds me that whatever we give is incredibly important.

Get involved

To make a donation in lieu of a birthday gift for a loved one, visit csw.org.uk/donate. Under ‘What prompted you to give’, please put the name of your loved one, e.g. Anna Smith’s birthday.

_{* Gao was disappeared again in 2017, and his current whereabouts are unknown.}